Wisconsin Employer Survey
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce represents businesses of all sizes and from every sector of the economy. The Wisconsin Employer Survey provides a snapshot of where Wisconsin’s employers stand on important issues and outlines their economic outlook for both Wisconsin and the United States. For the Summer 2026 edition, WMC surveyed 196 employers that make up a representative sample of its membership and the state’s business community as a whole.
Healthcare
An overwhelming number of Wisconsin employers report increased health care costs, highlighting widespread concern about affordability across the state.
Among employers with employer-sponsored plans, 93 percent experienced an increase in health care costs in 2026, while just one percent reported a decrease. When asked to list the factors that contributed to their company’s healthcare cost increases, 88 percent of respondents said, “higher costs from providers.”
When asked how state government could help businesses, a plurality of respondents (39 percent) answered, “make healthcare more affordable.”
Taxes
When asked, “How do Wisconsin’s state and local taxes impact your company’s ability to compete with businesses in other states,” 51 percent said taxes weaken their competitiveness, while just 6 percent said they improve it. Concerns about Wisconsin’s tax environment were reinforced by property tax trends. A staggering 71 percent of respondents reported an increase in their property tax bill for owned or leased commercial property over the past year, while less than 1% saw a decrease.
Reform
A majority of employers (71 percent) support eliminating Wisconsin’s personal income tax, with 46 percent saying they “strongly support” it. Only 14 percent of respondents opposed eliminating the state’s income tax.
Wisconsin taxes 95% of its businesses through the individual income tax rate—what many rightly call a ‘small business tax’—hitting them with one of the highest top rates in the country.
Education
Over half of Wisconsin employers say the state’s K-12 education system does not adequately prepare students for the workforce. This frustration, though not new, compounds other workforce issues in the state, including labor availability and demographic challenges.
As the economy seems to be strengthening, hiring is on the rise, but 60 percent of Wisconsin businesses say they are having trouble finding workers. The top obstacle, by far, is the lack of skilled applicants, as 59 percent of employers indicated, followed by a lack of job applicants (20 percent).